Improvement in joiners  clamps



WILLIAM H. GOODCHI LD. Improvement in jbiners' Clamps.

No. 114,801. I Patented M ay16,1871.

I, I r 1 i {7! SA a Q, 41: 2.5, :1 A

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. GOODGHILD, OF OENTREVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN JOINERS CLAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 114,801, dated May 16, 1871.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. Goonc'HILD, of Centreville, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, joiner, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in J oiners Clamps.

The object of my invention is to render more perfect the device long in common use for drawing firmly together the parts of doors and other articles in the process of manufacture.

My improved clamp is, like those before known, composed of two principal parts, a head-block and a tail-block, working in connection with a long piece of wood, which I will designate as the clamp-stick.

The tail-block is not capable of being moved forcibly, but may be adjusted in position on various parts of the length of the stick. The head-block exerts the pressure on the object by means of a screw.-

In previous joiners clamps the screw traversed backward and forward, and was subject, when much drawn back, to be readily bent or otherwise injured by reason of its extending beyond thev clamp-stick. It was, furthermore, mounted in an unprotected position above the surface of the stick. The changing of the position .of the tail-block also required much labor.

My invention overcomes these difficulties, and the parts, while more effective and convenient, maybe made much lighter than in the joiners clamps before used.

The following is a description of what I consider the best form of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the tail-block. 3 is a plan view of the tail-block. Fig. 4 is a crosssection just behind the head-block; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section.

The drawing represents the novel parts with so much of the clamp-stick as is necessary to indicate their relations thereto.

Ais the clamp-stick, and a a are grooves extending along on opposite faces thereof. A is a rack of metal let into the upper face, and A is a cap-casting, in which the screw B and the head-block D are supported.

This cast ing A is held to the stick A by screws, as indicated, and is also strongly locked by crossridges (H, which are let into corresponding recesses formed in the wood and defend it against any end movement.

The upper face of the cap-casting A has a long rectangular opening, in which the headblock traverses. The wood is recessed under it to a width greater than the opening in the casting, as indicated clearly in Fig. 4, and to a length a little greater than the length of the screw B, as shown in Fig. 5. The screw has a plain cylindrical bearing in the end of the cap-piece A A and the turning of the screw B by means of the lever 1) moves the headblock D slowly forward or backward.

The screw may be made as represented, with the head or end collar welded or forged in one therewith, and with the other collar made separate and screwed on and confined with a pin; or the inside collar, here shown as made separate, may be forged in one therewith, and the end collar may be made separate, and the form and arrangement of the operatin g-handle b may have various forms, as will be obvious.

I shall designate the head-block, when necessary, by the single letter D but it is formed, in fact, of two separate and distinct pieces, or, including the small nut which looks them together, of three pieces.

The large nut D receives the screw 13, which is preferably a left-handed screw, as represented, and this portion D performs several distinct functions. Itis held to the main part D by the nut D which turns on the stout threaded part projecting up from the part .D. The main part D rests fairly on the upper surface of the cap-castin g A and traverses backward and forward thereon, but with two stout portions projecting down into the opening in the cap-casting before and behind the large nut D and receiving the strain thereof. The main body of the latter is made wider than the aperture in the casting A and is finished with smooth shoulders, as represented, which apply against the under face of the cap-castin g A, and hold the entire head-block down to its proper position.

The head-block is braced by webs d d, which approach each other as they extend backward,

function by placing them exactly parallel.

This additional function is the supporting of the pin g, which carries a stout finger-lever,

G, which is operated by a spring, H, and stands ready to engage at any moment with the teeth of the rack A. This rack is preferably metal.

\/Vhen it is desired to adjust the tail-block in any new position it is grasped by the thumb and fingers, so as to draw forward the upper end of the lever G. This movement tilts it sufficiently to lift the lower end of the lever out of the rack A and in this condition the entire tail-block may be moved with perfect ease in either direction. So soon as it is liberated the lever Gr engages with the rack A in the new position.

The acting faces of the head-block D and tail-block Eare exactly similar inwidth and height. They are, by preference, of the same width as the clamp-stick A, and of a height nearly equal to the width. This gives so great area that the interposition of a shield-block is rarely necessary in the most forcible clampin g, even of the most delicately-surfaced Work.

It will be observed that although the pawllever G is centered at a high point, y, it bears, when in action, against a surface at the very base of thetail-block. It does not exert its .strain on the center-pin 9 except to a very small extent; but its force is mainly applied to transmit the strain in an almost straight line parallel to the surface of the clamp-stick.

I claim as my invention- 1. The cap casting or iron A holding the screw B and head-block D D as-shown, and adapted to operate relatively thereto and to the tail-block E as specified.

2. The lever G and its operating-sprin g H, adapted to operate, as shown, relatively to the block A and to head-block D D and its operating means, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

WV. H. GOODCHILD.

Witnesses:

O. 0. LIVINGS, J. A. SURFLEET. 

